


Miracles Happen

by galactic-pirates (stillsearching47)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, Post-Season/Series 06, Rumbelle Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 18:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11674719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillsearching47/pseuds/galactic-pirates
Summary: Written forRumbelle Summer Vacation. Miracles happen ... when you believe. A few years ago Rumplestiltskin and Belle grabbed their happy beginning with both hands. Neither of them ever forgot Belle's desire to see the world; or the desire they share to show it to their son. Once Gideon is old enough they start making trips including a grand summer tour of England. They visit the North York Moors Railway and Gideon is entranced by the trains resulting in a rathersootyincident.





	Miracles Happen

Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath as he climbed out of the drivers seat of the rental car. The distinctive scent of smoke was heavy on the air, the twisting grey and black plume rising from the steam train that was currently at the station. It had been over four years since they had grasped their ‘happy beginning’ with both hands. They hadn’t ventured far from Storybrooke when Gideon was a baby but Rumplestiltskin had never forgotten Belle’s dream to see the world.

Now Gideon was older they had started to take regular trips. Belle had a long list which spanned all seven continents, including a lot of places in England, so they’d embarked on a ‘grand summer tour’. For the next few days they would be exploring the North Yorkshire Moors, starting today with the heritage steam railway.

“Papa! Papa! Look!” Gideon bounced impatiently on the spot, excitedly pointing at the train.

Rumplestiltskin exchanged a smile with Belle. Gideon’s excitement was as infectious as it was beautiful. Nothing made him happier than moments like this.

He stretched, feeling his back pop as he released some of the tension he’d been carrying. He’d come a long way since the man who had decided to fly rather than drive to New York, but they drove on the wrong side of the road in England and all the roads were so winding. They’d rented a large, comfortable car which had all the modern conveniences. Although he wasn’t sure whether he trusted the in-built GPS.

True it had got them here but he thought it must have taken them an odd way, they’d practically been driving through the moors they were here to see - or maybe that was just the English roads. Rumplestiltskin shot a baleful glance at the hill running through Grosmont village, cars were parked all the way up; the locals must be crazy as that was a hill start he really didn’t wish to tackle. He shook his head lightly at the foreign architecture in front of him. Traveling the world was just like traveling between realms in the old world; everywhere they went was completely different from everywhere else.

“Papa, what if it leaves?” Gideon worried, biting his lip in a gesture clearly copied from his mother.

“Then we’ll get the next one,” Belle said calmly, grabbing her large bag from the trunk.

Rumplestiltskin was by her side a second later taking it from her, he knew how heavy it was and he wouldn’t be a good husband if he let her carry it herself, even if it was decorated with a floral pattern.

“I checked the schedule online, they depart every half an hour. That gives us plenty of time to get our tickets, and maybe a guidebook?” Belle suggested hopefully.

“Of course.” Rumplestiltskin laughed, offering Gideon his free hand.

Belle took Gideon’s other hand and Rumplestiltskin immediately thought he had been wrong earlier. This was the happiest moment, his heart felt a hundred shades lighter even though it no longer showed even much of a shadow; he practically felt like he was walking on air.

Forty minutes, probably about a hundred photographs, and three purchased books later, they boarded the train. Gideon scrambled into the booth, pressing his face against the window, staring at the people still strolling up and down the platform.

“We should stop at Levisham, there’s an artist studio,” Belle said distractedly, as she read through her guidebook. “Goathland too, it’s where they filmed Harry Potter and Gideon will appreciate that when he’s older.”

“I think Henry would appreciate it now,” Rumplestiltskin quipped. “He did say he wanted to see our photographs.”

Suddenly the carriage lurched with a metallic thud. Gideon’s eyes widened. “We’re going, we’re going!” he yelled.

“Shh sweetie,” Belle shushed, shooting an apologetic look to the elderly couple opposite them in the carriage. “Inside voice remember.”

Gideon nodded automatically but Rumplestiltskin doubted he’d registered the correction. His nose was pressed firmly against the glass of the window again, craning his neck to try and see down the length of the train to the engine. The ‘chuff chuff’ of the engine was audible and Rumplestiltskin had carefully picked a carriage about 2/3rds of the way down so they’d hopefully get a good glimpse when the train went round a curve, but given Gideon’s obvious dejection they hadn’t reached one yet.

“Can’t see the train?” Rumplestiltskin sympathized.

“No,” Gideon pouted.

Rumplestiltskin turned to Belle, to find her face pressed just as firmly against the glass, obviously as equally as enraptured as their son with this previously unknown form of travel. “Belle sweetheart? Belle!” Belle blinked and turned to look at him. Rumplestiltskin nodded towards Gideon and mouthed, “He can’t see the train.”

“Gideon.” Belle held her hand out. “Shall we very carefully walk down the carriage? See if we can’t see the train puffing along.”

“Yeah!” Gideon exclaimed excitedly, scrambling over Rumplestiltskin in his haste to get out of the booth. He took Belle’s hand and she led him away, shooting Rumplestiltskin a wink over her shoulder. He returned it with a bright smile.

“Oh my turn,” Rumplestiltskin muttered to himself, reaching over the table for Belle’s forgotten guidebook.

Rumplestiltskin wasn’t at all surprised that Belle and Gideon didn’t return until they were nearly at Pickering. They’d agreed between them last night, after they’d put Gideon to bed, that they would ride the train all the way to the end of the line initially and then stop off at stations on the way back. Gideon would be a lot more interested in the train ride than the stops, and they wanted him to enjoy it before he got too tired. Technically Grosmont wasn’t end of the line, the train did go onto Whitby, but they were seeing Whitby tomorrow and it would be a long enough day as it was for their little boy.

However upon their return Rumplestiltskin burst out laughing. Belle arched an eyebrow and he fished in his pocket for his handkerchief. As they weren’t in Storybrooke, and it was summer, he’d forgone his usual suit in favor of chinos and a colored shirt. Belle had muttered that she would get him into a t-shirt one of these days, but Rumplestiltskin had just smirked at the comment - at least he’d a forgone a tie.

“Your face,” Rumplestiltskin explained.

Belle frowned and threw herself back into the booth, reaching into her travel bag for her mirror. She blanched seeing her face liberally marked with soot. She’d helped Gideon stick his head out of the window of the carriage door so he could see more easily. Obviously she’d noticed the soot motes covering her son but she hadn’t realized she’d been caught as well. Belle rummaged in the bag again withdrawing a large packet of wet wipes, and vigorously started rubbing at her face. She huffed in annoyance as the wipe removed her makeup along with the soot. Then the train slowed down.

Reluctantly Belle stuffed everything back in her bag and reached for Gideon’s hand. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

The moment they were on the platform Belle started swiveling her head intently, obviously looking for a sign as to where the bathrooms were.

“Activity sheet for the little man?” a young woman wearing a polo shirt emblazoned with the railways logo held out a sheet of paper towards Rumplestiltskin.

“Thank you,” Rumplestiltskin accepted gratefully. “Belle sweetheart, they’ll probably be a bathroom in the coffee shop ...”

“There is,” the worker confirmed as she walked towards another family.

“See.” Rumplestiltskin smiled. “Let’s get a nice cup of tea and a sandwich ...”

“But Rumple my makeup,” Belle hissed. “I look ridiculous with it half-wiped off.”

“You could never look anything other than beautiful,” Rumplestiltskin told her honestly. “If it bothers you then just finish wiping it off completely. It’s just us here, do you really need to worry?”

Belle nodded thoughtfully. “Like you and your suits. Alright, though I should take Gideon to the bathroom anyway, it was a long train ride.”

“Why don’t I do that,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. “You find a good table before they are all gone.” He nodded meaningfully to the numerous other tourists milling around the station.

“Can I have cake?” Gideon piped up, his eagle eyes spotting a display even through the window.

Belle checked her watch. “A sandwich first and then we’ll split a piece,” she promised. She shot a mischievous grin at Rumplestiltskin. “Although with your fathers sweet tooth we should probably get two pieces.”


End file.
